Sunday, July 08, 2007

Ducking

When people videotape their performances at the Artsgarden, one of the prime spots to set up your HandiCam is right in front of the sound board. The sound guy can send you an audio feed, and you've got power there in case your camera battery can't handle an hour-long video session. The disadvantage is that you're behind a walkway, and a lot of people will cross in front of your camera.

I've been noticing that most people are pretty observant and pretty polite -- they're aware you're videotaping, and they duck to get out of your camera shot. I've also been noticing that people have no idea how tall they are. People will duck as they pass in front of the camera, but most people don't actually duck far enough to get out of the way. The height you lose when you duck isn't as much as it seems. Try this experiment: stand next to a wall, and put your fingertips on the wall at shoulder height. Then duck until your head is below your hand. Further than it seems, isn't it? And, it's not easy to duck this far when you're walking. It's almost exercise. I'm really happy that most people will make the effort to get out of the way of your camera; it redeems my faith in humanity. But I'm still amused by the fact that they don't actually get out of the camera shot.

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About Me

I'm a theatrical technician and handyman in Indianapolis; I work for the Artsgarden and anyone else who'll hire me. I have a wonderful wife, Laura, and a multitude of cats. I eventually want to make the transition from "writer" to "novelist". And here are my random thoughts on my life and the world.